Convert kiloparsec to light year
Please provide values below to convert kiloparsec [kpc] to light year [ly], or Convert light year to kiloparsec.
How to Convert Kiloparsec to Light Year
1 kpc = 3261.56377694429 ly
Example: convert 15 kpc to ly:
15 kpc = 15 × 3261.56377694429 ly = 48923.4566541644 ly
Kiloparsec to Light Year Conversion Table
| kiloparsec | light year |
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Kiloparsec
A kiloparsec is a unit of distance used in astronomy, equal to one thousand parsecs.
History/Origin
The parsec was first proposed as a unit of distance in 1913 by British astronomer Herbert Hall Turner. The kiloparsec is a multiple of the parsec used for larger astronomical distances.
Current Use
The kiloparsec is used to measure distances to objects within and around the Milky Way galaxy.
Light Year
A light-year is the distance that light travels in a vacuum in one Julian year.
History/Origin
The concept of the light-year as a unit of distance in astronomy emerged in the mid-19th century. The first recorded use of the term was in a German astronomical publication in 1851.
Current Use
The light-year is used to express distances to stars and other astronomical objects on a galactic and intergalactic scale, especially in popular science and non-specialist contexts.